Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-12-22

over them, and the merchants stock In
trade, a. far as visible, was only COM
posed Of q keg Of native wine, ditto OF
whisky, two boxes Of cigars, few bags
of tobacco. dozen cakes OF soap, sack
Of coffee, one Of -four. and perhaps half a
dozen pairs Of cheap shoes. The place
was crowded with men and women who
we're smoking, drinking and conversing
IN loud tones. The men were picturesque
in their costumes composed Of trousers
laced from the knee down, little jackets
that barely came down 10 their waists
and were covered with black braid, and
wide-brimmed white hats embroidered
with silver; but the women looked less
pleasing in their gaudily colored print
dresses and black shawls worn around
their heads and covering with their folds
the lower portion of their faces.
In one corner of the store was a
gambling-table at which an old man and
q woman were playing monte. These
players Encarnacion found to be his
mother and father. Hc informed them
who was, and they at once came and
greeted me. After welcoming me heart
ilv. the old people retired to prepare the
dinner
This Christmas dinner Of my hosts
differed in no manner from their every
day meals, and consisted of the favorite
Mexican dish of chile tot carHe, or meat
stewed in red pepper with frijoles
Q species Of beans, and tortillas and
coffee.
As soon as our neal was over and we
had all lighted cigarettes, Encarnacion
and his father led me to neighbor's
house. Here we were met at the door by
little old man with a thin white beard,
who welcomed us heartily and bade us
enter In the one room of the house,
which was not more than fifteen by
twenty feet in size, we found about
twenty-five men and women. The men
were sitting on the bed, the bench and
the only two chairs in the room, and the
women were squatted on the floor around
tho wall. Our host made one of his
guests give me chair, and Encarnacion
sat on the bed by my side. While VT
were slipping the coffee which he had
given us, Encarnaeion touched me on the
shoulder and whispered in my car:
"That is yda Montoya sitting on the
floor over in the corner. Was ever maid
more beautiful! My heart breaks when
think Of her treachery."
/ looked in the direction he indicated,
and saw young girl whose attractions
would have made her noticeable any.
where, and especially so in Mexico.
Many romancers have attributed beauty
to the Mexican women, and when / first
went among that peculiar race, which re-
tains its semi barbarian customs, spite Of
its contact with the pushing Americans,
felt sorely disappointed in finding that
the large majority of the women had the
prominent cheek bones, dark skin, and
l coarse, straight hair of the Indian, and
plainly show that the Caucasian blood
which flows in their veins is in toe
small proportion to do more than slightly
modify the Indian traits. Occasionally,
however, young girl is seen who has in.
herited the beauty of some noble ances-
tor in Castillo, and whose brilliant com.
plexion, large black eyes and graceful
form make her the recipient of great at
! tention in her native village.
Such was Yda Montoya, whose charms
had won the heart of my friend Encar
, nacion. She was sitting in the corner
calmly putting cigarette, and seemet
entirely oblivious to the presence OF hel
devoted admirer.
Before we had been in the house many
! minutes a young woman came to thu
door with an accordion under her arm.
i A chair was at once given her, and aftc,
/ leisurely lighting her cigarette, SHE be
gan to play.
, The room was so crowded that ther,
was but little vacant space; but never
! theless, the owner of the house got W
1 and danced with woman. His dancing
? was very good, as is always that of thu
! Mexicans, to whom dancing seems IL
3 come natural The dance over, the as
5 scmbled guests formed in line, twt
9 abreast, in front of the door, Here W,
. were Joined by two other men, one witt
: fiddle and the other with banjo, who
! going ahead of the procession, led tn,
) way to another house. We halted I
! moment in front of this place, the musi
! clans started new tune, and then we en-
4 tered
: The room we were in was hrge anG
I evidently belonged to comparatively
9 prosperous people; it contained six bed
9 and agood, hard dirt fioor and the wall
! and ceiling were whitewashed. Th'
: walls were decorated by number 0
: pictures Of saints and various Bibl'
scenes. Preparations were made fo
| another dance, and number of couple
$ took the floor.
/ Encarnacion was wild with excitemen
/ because Yda was to dance with anothe
? man, whose arm was already around he
! slender waist. I advised him that b,
Q could never win the affections of Ydab,
' moping, that his better course was Il
q provoke her jealously by ignoring her en-
i tircy, and devoting himself to som'
q other girl, and yielding to this argument
/: he went out at once to obtain a partner
d The musicians struck upa waltz, and a
| regularly as clockworK the heels Of tn
d dancers beat upon the tloor--the Mexican
IS everywhere have habit of marking tn
IS time with their heels. The Mexical
Y waltz differs essentially from that dances
q in Eastern bathrooms, in that the dancer
never reverse, but keep on whirlin,
g around In one direction. Gradually on
Q couple after the other fell out Of th
= dance, until but two of them were left o
IT the floor. In one Of the couples / SAY
g Yda Montoya, and in the other Encal
nacion. Intense rivalry now animate